Essential maintenance to port facilities means Wightlink’s Portsmouth-Fishbourne car ferries will use the Portsmouth International Port on 16/17 October 2021

Wightlink’s car ferries between Portsmouth and Fishbourne will use the Portsmouth International Port (PIP) instead of Wightlink’s terminal in Gunwharf Road over the weekend 16/17 October 2021. This is to allow essential maintenance of the boarding ramp at Gunwharf.

This weekend has been chosen as Sunday 17 October is also the date of the Great South Run in Portsmouth when sailings are usually diverted to PIP to avoid road closures in the city.

A temporary timetable will be in operation that weekend as journeys will take longer. There will also be changes to the way vehicles embark and disembark the ships at PIP, crossings must be booked in advance and no foot passengers will be carried on the car ferries.

Extra FastCat foot passenger services will operate on Saturday and Sunday, departing Portsmouth Harbour at 22:30, 00:15, 03:15 and 05:15 and departing Ryde Pier Head at 23:00, 00:45, 03:45 and 05:45.

Wightlink Chief Executive Keith Greenfield says: “We are sorry if this temporary move to Portsmouth International Port causes inconvenience for some of our customers, but regular maintenance is essential.

“We will be operating extra overnight FastCat foot passenger sailings for commuters, key workers and others who need to travel at this time. We advise everyone travelling with Wightlink between Portsmouth and Fishbourne that weekend to be prepared as their journeys will be different. Wightlink colleagues will be based at PIP to assist them.”

The new timetable for 16/17 Oct and full details of the operational changes can be seen here: www.wightlink.co.uk/pip